


Misfits Among Misfits

by Kalorii



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Dream Sex, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, References to Knotting, Wet Dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 11:02:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7571668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalorii/pseuds/Kalorii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up as a mutant is hard enough but life threw the turtles a genetic curve ball. Finding out about their Alpha and Omega genes early on, the four struggle to balance their training with genetics they were never meant to have.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Don POV - A Blessing and A Curse

**Author's Note:**

> It's hard to believe that it's been over a year since I wrote all of this. These are the original fics that I wrote about the Omegaverse. I'm not in the TMNT fandom any longer but I felt that posting these would help my friend [AristaStarfyr](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AristaStarfyr/pseuds/AristaStarfyr) explain some things!
> 
> Please be aware that I won't be adding onto this. If you want a continuation, please look to AristaStarfyr's fics.

_Sometimes I sit and wonder if everyone in the world has a moment where they look at what their life has the potential to be. You see something mapped out in front of you that has the potential to be a blessing or a curse._

_I remember that night almost word-for-word because it was something so profound that it's hard to forget it. Imagine being nine-years-old and too smart for your own good, staring down a bitter truth. For better or worse, I knew long before my brothers did that, even if what I'd found out wasn't a part of our life, we were doomed to live a lonely life. Or, if things went well, we would thrive._

_The data opened up a myriad of possibilities, all of which I couldn't even see at that young age. I already knew knowledge was power but that wasn't the reason I pursued it. Making sure my family was safe and healthy was the main reason I'd found out the secret that we'd have to keep for over a decade._

\------

"Come in, my son."

Donatello licked his lips nervously, holding tightly to a notebook filled with information his father couldn't possibly understand. He loved and respected his father but he would never understand without proper explanations. It was important to know the difference in knowledge early on, or so Donnie thought.

He entered Splinter's room, bowing before kneeling and setting his notebook off to one side. There was no complaint from the young turtle as he took the offered tea, meant to relax him. It was also a courtesy for a visit so late at night.

The two sat in silence, sipping their tea a moment before Splinter set his aside. "Now, what did you have to tell me that could not wait until the morning?"

Donnie took in a soft breath, putting his empty cup aside to take up his notebook again. "I didn't want to bring it up in front of the guys, I'm sorry for keeping you up." Splinter waved his hand and then stilled, encouraging his son to go on. This was far more intimidating than Don thought it would be.

"Do you remember when I asked for some blood so I could figure out our blood types? I asked for more than I needed because I was also looking at deoxyribonucleic acid - DNA." He cleared his throat, showing off some of the simplistic drawings he had. They were of humans and turtles, arrows pointing to different areas that only Donnie could discern properly.

"The first thing I found out is that we're not related." Seeing his father's amused smile, Donnie shook his head quickly. "I-I mean, I know that you and I aren't related by blood but I mean I'm not related to Mikey, Raph, or Leo. We're all from different egg clutches so we're not brothers."

Splinter reached up, stroking the fur under his chin in interest. He hummed but said nothing more, looking more critically at the artistic workings Donnie had made. Curiosity was there and it didn't take a genius to see why. Nothing on the page had anything to do with their blood relations - well, not _really_.

Gathering his courage again, Don nodded a little. "Secondly, I wanted to see how mammal DNA mixed with reptile DNA. You can't blame me for being curious as the only other mammal that we might see it in is the platypus which is one of the only mammals that lays eggs." Splinter's confusion was lost on him as he continued undaunted. "What's interesting is what's in us that isn't in any other reptile."

Lost in his excitement, Donnie flipped the page of his book. This was definitely not clear or concise, small dashes being arranged in what felt like a random fashion. The young turtle knew it all and he pointed to the different sections as he went on.

"As you probably know, mammals have a variant of the 'Alpha' and 'Omega' for breeding pairs. I could go into the history of that but that's not why I'm keeping you up. Reptiles don't have this variance - not _naturally_ , anyway." He paused, not for dramatic effect, only because the next thing he said would make his anxiety clear. "I found out that we have this variance."

"All of your brothers?"

Donatello nodded, letting out a soft breath. "Leo and I are Omegas while Raph and Mikey are Alphas. It's a split down the middle for us. I wanted to tell you because this _will_ be a problem for us as we get older."

Used to his son being succinct and to the point, Splinter made a noise that made it obvious he was disconcerted by this revelation. Even Donnie understood the work that his father did to take care of them. Puberty was going to be a challenge even before this knowledge came to light, now it was going to be a monumental task. Alphas were aggressive and having two viable Omegas nearby would only compound the problem.

"What do you suggest?"

"I can work on making something to help control urges and cycles for us. It might take a while to figure out but I know I can do it."

"When are you going to tell your brothers? It is important that they know what will be happening to them."

That made Donnie shrug his shoulders gently, shaking his head in frustration. "I don't know."

Splinter let out a breath through his nose as he pondered the situation. It was a conundrum but the other boys likely didn't know much about puberty, either. Donatello was head and shoulders above his brothers in terms of intelligence and knowledge. He craved it like he needed it to live which was admirable even if it led to situations like this.

Eventually, Splinter nodded. "We will both tell them when I feel they are ready to learn about the changes in their bodies. Will that suffice?"

Donnie nodded, feeling incredibly relieved he wouldn't have to present these things to his brothers right away. "I think I can work things out by then."

"I know you will do your best for your family." Splinter put a gentle hand on Donnie's shoulder, a soft smile on his face. "You make me proud, my son. Do not look at this as a burden upon you or your brothers. This could be a blessing for all of us in time."

The young turtle looked confused at the words, not sure how being even worse freaks of nature could be considered a "blessing". He would have asked if his father hadn't moved to get up, offering his hand.

"It is late and you need your sleep, Donatello. You will be free to do whatever you please after training tomorrow."

"I'll need some things from the surface..."

Naturally, his father wasn't going to hear any of it at the moment. Donnie was led to his bedroom and tucked into his bed, a fact that he still wasn't comfortable with. Having separate rooms was a new development and he hated it. Likely one of them was already curled up with Mikey for the night but it was always hard to admit that they wanted to be with one another.

Things were changing already and they'd change even more dramatically in the coming years.


	2. Leo POV - A Preview of Things to Come

_If there's one thing positive I can say about Donnie, it's that he can keep secrets. He's the best one to confide in, the one who might try to offer some advice while also filing it away for later. That's not to say that keeping secrets is always a good thing but he's the one who worries the most about us next to Master Splinter._

_There was this odd calm about him when we had "the talk" that all kids have eventually. Now I know that ours was a little different than our father intended it to be. He assumed we'd be just normal boys going through puberty with voice changes and urges. Donatello's findings forced him to be a bit more descriptive - and more forceful about some things. Control, in particular._

_In the end, I understood a fraction of what Donnie outlined but knew that it was important. Again our unstable nature was brought to the fore. We were freaks on the outside and now on the inside as well. What can you do but embrace it from then on?_

_We were twelve when the first signals started showing. Raph was the first, naturally. Anyone who doubted that he wouldn't be clearly know nothing about us. It was our first true test as to whether or not we'd even survive long enough to live up to our potential._

\------

Leonardo sighed heavily as he heard stern words being spoken in the dojo. It was bad this time but at least Raph had the decency to hold his tongue.

He'd lashed out. _Again_. This time Mikey was caught in the crossfire even though Leo had been their brother's intended target.

"I'm okay, D. It's just a bruise."

Donnie and Mikey came out from the lab, Mikey rolling his shoulder which was wrapped up in gauze. It was true, their little brother had taken the hit like a champ and Donatello had been the one to fuss over him. No matter how gentle Michelangelo was, he still had the power of an Alpha behind him. Donnie had an explanation for that as well, Leo was sure.

The two knelt on either side of Leo, looking anxiously at the doors to the dojo. It was hard to make out what was being said but the harsh words had made way to a more calming cadence. Now they could hear Raph's voice, harsh but not heated as he'd been when the incident first happened. Things were calming down and it took no time at all before Splinter and Raphael appeared at the dojo doors.

"Kneel with the others, Raphael."

Their brother moved to do so but not before he nodded to Mikey. "Sorry, little brother."

Mikey was always the one who could get away with almost anything with Raph. Whether that was an "Alpha solidarity" thing or not, Leo idly envied how Michelangelo would always be forgiven and apologised to. While they all tended to get the brunt of Raphael's anger, Mikey sometimes got a bit more leeway.

When Raph finally knelt beside Donnie, they all looked up at their father though his attention was all on Donatello. "I am not blaming you, Donatello, though I am confused as to how the pills have failed."

"The pills work, sensei. The inherent flaw is that they have to actually be taken," he replied, shooting a glare at Raph.

Raph cringed but didn't deny that fact. Clearly Donnie had already figured out the reason for the most recent incident. They'd all heard the excuses before but things were only getting worse. How long would it be before it escalated and Raphael seriously hurt one of them?

There was a brief talk between Donnie and Splinter, the latter excusing himself and retiring to the dojo for some meditation. Donnie was the first one on his feet, angrily jerking his head and thumb in the direction of his lab. He said nothing and started in that direction as if he expected all of them to follow him.

Leo closed the door to the lab just as Raph sat down heavily on the stool, his shoulders hunched down. Even though he'd likely been the hothead's intended target, Leo couldn't help but feel bad for him. He tried hard and he cared for his family but his very nature was given to violence. It was too easy for him to give into the fire that burned in his core.

Donnie sighed softly as he reached into a small refrigerator and pulled out a vial of milky liquid. A needle was pulled open and filled with the stuff, primed and ready to go as he went beside their brother. He said nothing as he gently angled Raph's head to one side, deftly injecting him with a precision that no twelve-year-old should ever have.

"That should last a month. It's more concentrated than the pills you keep ignoring."

"I'm sorry, okay? I hate how they make me feel." Raph's eyes closed briefly before he looked to Donnie as if seeking answers. "It's like I'm being suffocated and I feel like I can finally breathe when I'm off of them."

Undaunted, Donnie discarded the needle in a bin off to one side. "You are being 'suffocated' in a way but I can't apologise for that. All Alphas have to go through the same thing, Raph. You're no exception. If you can't take your pills then I'll get Master Splinter to hold you down and give you a needle at the start of every month."

Leonardo frowned as he finally got a bit closer. "Come on, Donnie. Master Splinter would never do that."

All attention was on Donnie, Raph looking at him with anxious eyes. He didn't look up at any of them as he started pouring solutions into a vial. "He would if he felt that Raph might do the same to us, Leo. We're Omegas and naturally desirable by Alphas even if they take inhibitors. A mistake can be costly and even a human Omega in heat wouldn't like being claimed by a mutant turtle Alpha."

Growling lowly, Raph got to his feet and stomped his way out of the lab, not bothering to close the door behind him. It left a bad taste in Leo's mouth even if Donatello had a point. At the least, he could have been a bit kinder about it considering even Mikey was shuffling his feet and looking like a kicked puppy.

Finally seeming to notice this, Don nodded over to Mikey who brightened a little. "You actually take what I give you, Mikey. Raph's the one who puts all of us at risk by not taking those inhibitors."

"You could be nicer about it," Leo grumbled. "This isn't easy for any of us."

"It's not going to get any easier and the sooner we can minimize the inconveniences, the better. Alphas present themselves a lot sooner than Omegas do. We haven't even been through our first cycle yet."

Mikey shuddered visibly and stuck out his tongue. "Dude, my ears. They're going to start leaking something if I have to hear more. It was bad enough the first time."

Oddly, Leo had to agree with the sentiment. The casual way that Donnie handled their sexual situation was unsettling in some way. However, he wasn't sure that it would be all that different if they went to a real doctor. Donatello was the closest thing they had to a doctor and they were lucky to have him and his knowledge.

"You'd better get used to it, Mikey. We've got a long way to go before we're adults."

That day couldn't come fast enough for Leo's taste.


	3. Mikey POV - Alpha Business

_Going up to the surface was the best mutation day present_ ever _. Master Splinter didn't want us to go but he knew he couldn't keep us locked up forever. We_ had _to go topside or we'd go crazy._

_There were so many things up there. All these smells, sights,_ pizza _. Sure, there were bad things like the Kraang and Shredder but we found out a lot about ourselves. We even met our first real friend, a_ human _friend. April's the best but I think she's got a little thing for Donnie. Boy, is that going to be awkward when she finds out he's an Omega._

_Everything was going great. I mean, yeah, Raph seemed to be getting more physical with our enemies but we_ needed _that. He saved my shell more times than I can count. I never thought that it was something we needed to be worried about..._

\------

It'd been months now since they'd been allowed on the surface world. They'd done so much good even with their penchant for making a mess of things. Stopping the Kraang was priority number one but Shredder and his gang were a more personal fight. Nothing had ever been easy for them but now it felt almost impossibly difficult.

"Just our luck that there's no Purple Dragons to bust open tonight."

Mikey heard Leo's long-suffering sigh from the other side of the roof. He knew how hard it was for their older brother to deal with some of Raph's tendencies. Donnie had once tried explaining to him why he was so different from the other Alpha in their group but it was so technical he didn't pay attention. Eventually he'd gotten the simpler explanation of "variables", whatever that meant.

"We can't always be cracking heads, Raph. Sometimes we have normal, quiet patrols," Donnie said, idly tapping away at his T-phone. He put it away and then kicked his staff up before catching it in his hands. "It's not as if we haven't recently given them a few lumps."

Not content with Donatello's logical thoughts, Raph growled and stomped to another side of the building. He looked longingly over the edge, cracking his knuckles. If Mikey had anything to compare it to, he'd compare his brother to a hungry animal out for blood.

Leo sheathed his swords and stretched with a yawn. He was relaxed and probably oblivious to Raphael's unrest. "So we can head home early and relax before we get some sleep."

It was an order, not a suggestion. Perhaps it was because he was an Alpha himself but sometimes Michelangelo felt like he could read Raph's body language better than Leo and Donnie. It was like he knew that his brother was just seething, looking to burn off energy that was coursing through him. Where he'd gotten that energy, Mikey had no idea. Whatever the case, he decided to go over to his brother, putting his hand on Raph's shoulder.

Thankfully, Raph didn't jump, he merely turned around slowly and let out a soft huff. "Yeah, I get it. I'll do some training in the dojo for a while."

As Raph turned away from the edge of the roof, Mikey caught Leo's grateful look. He was glad that he could help somehow since he'd had a tendency to screw things up more often than not lately. Being able to intervene and easily put some sense into Raph was the least he could do. Especially since their brother had been almost uncontrollable as of late.

They were rather close to home when it happened. Michelangelo and Raphael stopped on the roof three out from their destination, turning their heads in the same direction. It was a scent carried on the wind that made every muscle in Mikey's body tremble. He stopped himself from actually chasing after it but, deep down inside of him, he knew what it was. An Omega was in heat and needed a strong Alpha to breed them.

Raph wasn't as reasonable.

Everything was a blur. Donnie shouted something and Leo managed to tackle their brother before he could leave the roof. There was a quick flash in the light of a billboard standing over them as a syringe was pulled from Don's belt. It found its mark and Raph stilled after a moment, leaving both Leo and Donnie to look at Mikey with worry.

"I'm okay! I can smell it but I'm not going to do anything, I promise," he said, putting out his hands and backing away. He flinched when Leo came up to him but relaxed quickly when he saw his brother's calm smile. "He wasn't taking his pills again, was he?"

"No, he wasn't." Donatello was on his feet, a scowl aimed at Raph who was sleeping quickly on the rooftop now. "I suspected it but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Leonardo went over to their sedated brother, crouching down and putting his hands on Raph's shoulders. "We can get mad at him after we get home. Mikey, grab his legs and we'll get back to the lair."

Mikey obeyed without question, knowing that there was going to be hell to pay when they got back.

\------

Hell was close to it but not enough. Splinter was furious and it was all aimed at Raph and his carelessness.

"I have told you time and time again, Raphael. You are responsible for keeping yourself in control and that is one thing you cannot do on your own - not yet. You will report to Donatello each month for your medication."

None of them had intervened on Raph's behalf because Splinter was right. The inhibitor was the only barrier between sanity and mindless instincts. It was the reason Mikey hadn't gone after that scent trail and tried to do the same thing Raph had done. If they hadn't noticed then a human would have been intimately acquainted with a mutant turtle.

Once everyone else had gone to bed, Raph and Mikey were left alone in the pit. Raph was merely moping where he'd sat after being let out of Donatello's lab. He didn't even have the strength to get back to his bedroom. It was obviously guilt that was weighing him down.

Mikey crawled up to sit beside Raph, pausing momentarily before he leaned against him. "Come on, Raph. It's not that bad. Everything turned out okay, right?"

Raph growled lowly and tried to pull himself into a tighter ball. They stayed together in silence, Mikey not pushing his brother to say anything more. He knew that he was frustrated at himself more than anything else. There was nothing more to really say about it that hadn't already been said before.

Eventually Raph pulled his head up and looked at nothing in particular, his eyes staring straight ahead of him. "I could have hurt someone. I thought that I was okay just putting my fists in the Kraang's faces or making the Purple Dragons think twice about hurting someone else." He finally looked over to Mikey, regret and sadness in his green eyes. "What if that was Leo or Donnie?"

Now this was a really rare treat. It was clearly an Alpha-to-Alpha chat because he felt that Mikey might understand. Honestly? He did. Mikey understood because he'd felt those same urges himself. The simple thought that he could just casually "forget" the pills and then run out of control like Raph did. He'd be strong and fast, no one would be able to stop him. The only thing that did stop him was what Raphael had just put to voice. One day, it _would_ be Leo or Donnie who had that enticing scent, calling to that more feral part of him.

"You'd never hurt them, Raph. Not on purpose."

That wasn't enough. "I can't control it without those stupid inhibitors. I wouldn't be able to stop myself."

Okay, he had a point and Mikey knew it. He made a soft noise and pressed against his brother's shoulder a little harder. "You would, Raph. I know you would because you'd just look at them and feel bad. That's who you are." When Raph remained silent, he pressed on. "Donnie will make sure we won't hurt anyone."

Sighing gently, his older brother finally reached up to gently rub at the top of Mikey's head. "I know, little brother. I can't wait until we can control ourselves without having weird drugs in our system." He got up and stretched, looking over his shoulder with a stern glare. "Our secret, right?"

Mikey laughed softly and held out a hand curled into a fist. "Our secret, bro. Alpha business stays as Alpha business."

Returning the fistbump, Raph finally retired to his room leaving Michelangelo to do the same. That was the first night in a while that Mikey had a hard time falling asleep.


	4. Raph POV - The Omega Problem

_I hate to say it but Mikey was right. Things got a bit easier when I let Donnie do all the thinking for me. I think our doctor took it as a challenge if I didn't show up on time. He'd find me and then stick me with a needle before I had a chance to catch his scrawny neck. Not that I would because I already knew the consequences of not having what he was giving me._

_Things were better after that. Mikey and I would pick up the scent all the time but that urge to chase after it was just gone. I think it was a little harder for Mikey since he was still taking pills. I was the lucky bastard that needed heavy duty stuff to keep me from populating half the city. I know I'm a good looking guy but I think that the universe would explode from having too many copies of me running around._

_So for a long time, I thought we had things under control. I thought we knew everything, that Donnie had told us all we needed to know. Leave it to Casey to ferret out our secret and educate me on a little detail Donnie left out..._

\------

It'd been well over a year since Raphael had started getting inhibitors via injection. One thing it helped was to keep their secret just that: a secret. If anyone outside of their family circle had any idea that the turtles' mutation was more than just what could be seen, they'd never mentioned it. Though, to be fair, April was likely catching on about Donatello.

Casey always pestered Raph to go on patrol with him. Just the two of them, checking every lasty alleyway for some heads to crack together. If Raph didn't know any better, he'd swear the kid was an Alpha. His interest in April told him otherwise.

"Looks like we've taken out the garbage tonight."

Two potential robberies, both thwarted by the duo. It was much better than nothing and it helped to blow off some steam. At least things were quieter now in the city after the Kraang invasion. Even a quick glance showed how swiftly people had built back up. Whether the outside world believed the rest of New York really didn't matter. Its people knew their ordeals.

Raph straightened himself and nodded. "Good to remind them who's really boss in this city."

A soft laugh came from behind the turtle and he turned to see his friend grinning. "Pretty sure there's a whole crew of humans who might fight you on that one."

Of course. Human Alphas would still fight for territory at times, or so he'd been told. It wasn't as bad as it'd been in old times but there was still an obvious tendency for Alphas to carve out a small area for themselves. Old habits were incredibly hard to break.

Speaking of old habits, a breath Raph took in had his head snapping up and a small thrill went through him. Fortunately, the inhibitors did their duty and stopped his feet from moving but only just barely. He hated doing it but he took a deep breath to calm himself and to force his body to completely ignore the scent that had caught his nose.

Humans had no real "season" that they came into. It completely defied nature and he hated it. He could get caught completely unaware at any given time because the wind decided to blow it to him.

It hadn't escaped Casey's notice and he arched a brow at Raph. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing."

Only that wasn't enough for Casey Jones. It was far too easy for the turtles to forget that they weren't the only ones who had Alpha and Omega tendencies. Leo and Donnie could easily hide themselves for the time being but Mikey and Raph had quirks that made them easily visible for those who knew the cues. A teenage boy who regularly played sports wasn't likely to miss those signals.

A smile crossed Casey's face, revealing the three lost teeth in the process. "You're an Alpha. That's so metal. Confusing but metal."

Raph's head snapped over to look at his friend, his heart racing. "How...?"

"You smelled somethin'. I've seen a few of the guys on the team do that," he said, tapping his nose before letting out a laugh. "We had to learn about it in school, too. I thought reptiles couldn't even _be_ Alphas."

Taking quick stock of the situation, Raph noted that his friend wasn't freaked out or running in the other direction. That meant that it was okay he was an Alpha and he didn't mind another aspect of "weird" to be added onto his more obvious weirdness. So that also meant they didn't have to hide away so much.

"Donnie said it's because of the human blood that mutated us. Caused something in us to go haywire and latched onto the whole Alpha-Omega thing."

"'Us'? You mean you guys...? Oh man."

Whoops. Raphael grimaced as he realised his slip up though it was definitely bound to happen at some point in their lives. "Yeah. I'm not the only one," he said with a slight shrug.

As was typical with Casey, he wasn't going to drop the issue until he figured it all out. He looked excited at the prospect, his fingers held out as he tallied some invisible numbers. "I'm guessing Donnie's an Omega because no one should be able to resist Red like that," he said with a slight chuckle. He looked to Raph for confirmation and paused when he saw the disgruntled look on the turtle's face. "What?"

"Drop it, Jones. It's not up to me to tell you the rest of our business."

Casey grumbled and looked like he was going to continue until the glare from Raph made him think otherwise. He kept his mouth shut as they made their way through the alleyway before he stopped, looking over his shoulder.

"So what about that Omega problem, then?" Seeing Raph's confused look, Casey took it as a prompting to go on. "You know what that is, right? I'm not askin' who's who, just wonderin' if you've got a game plan."

Exasperated at being lost in the conversation, Raph waved his hands and shook his head. He stepped in front of Casey, wanting a very clear explanation of what his friend was referring to. "What 'Omega problem'?"

"Y'mean you don't know? Oh man..."

\------

It was late by the time Raphael got back to the lair. Leo and Mikey were already in their rooms but Donnie was always awake in the lab. It was way too common to see him up long enough to only get two or three hours of sleep before having to be up for training.

Raph didn't bother knocking and entered the lab, closing the door behind him. He didn't answer Donnie's greeting, walking over to the desk and slamming his hands down on it. What Casey had told him was unsettling and frustration now guided his actions. Nothing made him take action more than fear for his family and Donatello was now a major source of his problems.

"When were you going to tell us?"

Don looked over from his computer. "Tell you what?"

"About what'll happen to you and Leo if you don't have a kid."

If it were possible, Raph could have sworn that Donnie went pale. It only made him more frustrated and hurt to know that his brother knew all along. He knew what would happen to them if they didn't take a mate and have little baby mutant turtles. Yet he'd held his tongue and kept that information away from them as if it would change anything.

Computer forgotten, Donnie's head dropped slightly. "I-I was going to tell Leo when the time was right. Then we could both decide when to tell you and Mikey."

Reaching forward, Raph put his hands on his brother's shoulders, shaking him gently. "This is _important_ , Donnie! You can't just hide things like that away from us."

"I know that, Raph." His voice was flat and he avoided looking up into Raph's eyes. He didn't even move to take his brother's hands off his shoulders. Eventually he did look up, his eyes sad and filled with nothing but worry. "I hoped that I could stop it from happening to us. If I just found a way to stop the build up then everything would be fine."

There was nothing but sincerity behind the words. Donatello didn't want to just ignore the problem, he wanted to cure it. He wanted them to live long lives without the problem that had been plaguing Omegas since forever. Even though scientists had been trying to find a way to hinder it for centuries, Donnie thought he could be the one to figure it all out.

Raph let go of Don's shoulders. "You should have told us from the beginning. Does Splinter know?"

Shaking his head, Donnie got up and walked around his desk, stopping when he was close to Raph. "I couldn't tell him that there was a chance of us dying. There are other ways around it but we've still got time. The clock only starts ticking when our first heat cycle starts. From there, we've got at least five years to work with before we decide what to do."

Put to voice, Raph felt his chest tighten. There was a chance either Donnie or Leo could die if they didn't take a mate. The chances of them finding an Alpha that wasn't himself or Mikey was so terribly low that it felt hopeless. It was then that the lightbulb went off in his head and he reached forward to pull Don into a brief hug.

"What about us? Mikey and I are Alphas and you said that we're not related by blood. It wouldn't be a problem then, would it?"

Donnie had looked up at Raph's question, a mixture of fear and hope in his eyes. "That's true but you know Omegas form a bond with the Alpha. You have to decide if that's what you really want." The hesitation must have shown in his face then and Don just smiled lightly. "We have time to figure this out. I promise I'll tell Leo soon but let me be the one to tell him."

All Raph could do was nod. It was now very obvious why Donnie had kept that part secret. It wasn't an easy decision for any of them and, up to that moment, Raphael had thought that being an Omega would be much easier than being an Alpha. They were all driven for one purpose and that made it hard on both sides but at least an Alpha wouldn't die from not having an Omega bonded to them.

"How did you find out about this?"

Even though the question was inevitable, Raph cringed slightly. "Casey told me. He figured out I was an Alpha." He could almost sense the irritation and he moved quickly to stifle it. "It was only me. I didn't tell him about the three of you. Told him it was none of his business which it isn't."

Exhaling softly, Don nodded then leaned on his desk. "We should get to bed. I didn't realise how late it was. You go on ahead, I'll be out there after you."

Raph knew that neither of them would sleep easy this night.


	5. Leo POV - The First Heat

_Even with Donnie's guidance, there were a lot of things that had to be experienced before we could understand it. Raph and Mikey had to experience what it was like to catch the scent of an Omega and control themselves. Donnie and I seemed to have it easy because we had to wait until our bodies matured enough before what we were became obvious._

_I really wasn't prepared for it. I thought I was because Donnie explained it to me early on. While I won't say that it was entirely unexpected, it was just more overwhelming than I had assumed it would be._

_Of course, that wasn't even the half of it..._

\------

Being in heat was hard to describe. It was need, raw and burning hot in the pit of his stomach. Usually Leonardo liked the warmth as most turtles did. This was something he didn't like, not in the least. It was just a fire that couldn't be put out by taking a cold shower or by using his own hand. He knew only an Alpha could stifle the fire inside of him.

As he expected, it didn't take long for an Alpha to find him. Neither said anything, letting their bodies speak for them. Leo's message was loud and clear to the Alpha he couldn't really see. It was enough he could feel him as he was flipped over roughly, forced into a presenting position.

His tail quivered in anticipation, feeling the extra heat behind him. He mewled as a surge of desire ran through him, pressing back to feel the Alpha's heavy cock hard and ready. Leo wanted it inside of him so badly he would do anything to get it. Forget being the leader or the one always in control, he wanted it buried deep inside of him to sate his need.

It felt like an eternity passed before Leo could feel the head of the Alpha's dick pressing against his needy hole. He was spread wide and he could only barely hear his reedy moan as the Alpha bottomed out inside of him. Just a small movement confirmed that there was still the fat knot waiting to stretch him further, tying them together physically as his Alpha's seed did its job. It was a promise that he'd soon have a belly full of young.

Sound levels didn't matter to him while he was being fucked. He wanted everyone to know that he was being claimed and nothing else mattered beyond that. Part of him wanted his brothers to find them, to watch him as he was taken hard and fast. He imagined it as his first orgasm rippled through him, hearing the growl behind him when his hole tightened around his Alpha's cock. It didn't slow the thrusts and only spurred him on to get Leo to scream his pleasure through another orgasm and then another.

It was pure bliss.

\------

Leonardo shot up in his bed, clutching his sheets tightly as he tried to calm his racing heart. He was panting and his dream held tight to his mind unlike any other dream had done in his life.

After a few minutes, Leo realised that his dream wasn't just clinging to him, it was like he'd never woke up. He still felt that hot desire running through his veins and he looked up at the door to his room almost wishing someone would walk through it. Preferably an Alpha, someone who could --

Oh god.

He stumbled out of bed, ignoring the fact that his wet dream had sullied his bedsheets. Those could be washed later, after he visited Donnie. It was obvious to him now that he was in heat.

It took ages to find his footing but his legs still trembled as he walked with purpose to Donatello's lab. How long had he been there writhing under his sheets? It was a shock that he hadn't attracted the notice of Raph and Mikey as of yet. Walking by their doors likely would bring the scent he was emitting to them and he was sure that he heard doors creak as he continued by.

With a heavy breath, Leo leaned against the door to the lab, finding Donnie behind his computer. His brother looked up at the noise, bleary-eyed and up far too late for his own good yet again. It seemed that Leo didn't need to say a single word before Don came over and helped him into a seat then rushed away again without a noise.

"Hang on, Leo," Donnie murmured.

There was a pinch on his shoulder and it felt like cold water was rushing through him. It slowly took hold, putting out the fire that had started and clearing his mind. He was still a little winded and he was sure that he looked like a mess but Donnie didn't call attention to it as he appeared in front of Leo, smiling sadly.

"Looks like we're in tune with spring," he said, putting down the syringe he'd injected into Leo earlier. "That should last the entire season."

Running a hand over his head, Leo nodded. "I thought I was prepared for this. You told me everything and it still caught me off guard."

Donnie laughed nervously, in the way that he did when he had something on his mind. He told Leo to wait where he was, leaving the lab and coming back a few moments later with Splinter in tow. Mikey and Raph had, as Leo expected, woken up on their own.

All of them were now in the lab, Donnie standing behind his desk before leaning forward and bracing himself against it with his hands. He looked up to Leo then to Splinter, nothing but worry and dread on his face. It didn't take a genius to know the cues: Don had news and it wasn't good.

Taking a deep breath, Don pushed himself back up into a standing position. "There's one thing that I didn't tell any of you. I know that keeping secrets is a bad thing but I really thought..." He trailed off, rubbing his temple and letting out a soft sigh. "Omegas have a biological clock that's more aggressive than a beta female's. I'll spare you the long details but Omegas will die if they don't take an Alpha."

Splinter's ears shot up and Mikey gasped while Raph only looked quietly furious. As for himself? Leo felt a cold dread run through him. What else could he feel at this point, knowing that there was some kind of odd countdown associated with whether he chose to mate or not? His whole life hinged on breeding.

"Why did you not tell us of this earlier, Donatello?" Splinter asked, his whiskers quivering. He was either angry or intensely worried, probably both.

"I thought that I could stop it." Donnie shook his head and then sat down heavily in his chair, looking apologetically at Leo. "Maybe there was something they've missed or they weren't trying all of the options. I was wrong and...I'm sorry."

Mikey got a bit closer, looking between Donnie and Leo. "You won't let that happen, D. You're smart, you'll figure it out."

"What are the options?" Leo asked, finally finding his voice as he felt Raph take up position behind him. It reminded him of his dream, a strong Alpha behind him, virile and able to breed him. He tried to ignore it but a shiver went up his spine and he silently cursed the fact that he wanted his brother to recreate the dream he'd had.

Their father nodded to Don, encouraging him to go on. "Well, there's the obvious option of finding someone you want to be with. As you know, Omegas and Alphas bond to each other so you have to be sure about who you choose. The other option is sterilization."

"In English, genius," Raph growled.

"It means that the ability to procreate is removed," Splinter said, reaching up to stroke at the fur of his chin.

Raph growled lightly, clearly frustrated at the situation and Leo felt the same. It really was a "do or die" situation and the fact that he had to choose whether he wanted to have a family or not felt like more pressure than he really needed. He felt sick and he put a hand on his stomach, a large part of him now glad that Donnie had kept the secret for so long.

Not looking up, he heard Donnie get out of his chair again. "We've got five years to decide, maybe six. It's harder to estimate but I want to be on the safe side. After the fifth year, we'll have to choose what we want to do. Alphas don't have this decision to make so Mikey and Raph are safe whether they mate or not."

"Then we shall keep this in mind. You must learn when secrets are safe to keep, Donatello. It is not only your life in question and your brother deserved to know this sooner," Splinter said, his quiet voice saying that he was more worried than angry.

Splinter and Donnie spoke quietly for a moment, something Leo couldn't hear himself. Their talk ended with a hug and a louder apology on Don's side. Eventually Splinter retired to his bedroom to rest again, leaving the turtles to talk amongst themselves.

"I'm sorry, Leo. I should have told you sooner but I didn't know how," Donnie said, standing in front of his brother.

Logicially, Leo should have been angry. He had every right to be mad that he hadn't been told he would die if he didn't choose to have a family. He _should_ be furious - but he wasn't. Donnie was facing the same reality, he knew the stakes and he'd tried to do the right thing. What benefit did it have to know sooner?

He got up and put his arms around Donnie, embracing him tightly. "It's okay, Donnie. I understand why you did it."

"There aren't any other surprises, are there?" Raph asked, his tone stern.

Donnie shook his head and Leo pulled away to see the sadness on his brother's face. "No more secrets. If there are any other surprises, they'll be unknown to me."

A hand settled on Leo's shell and he looked over to see Mikey smiling at his brothers. "We'll figure it out, bros. We're not gonna let something like this take us down."

Unable to sleep, the four stayed awake and talked about anything but the problem that now hovered over them like a storm cloud. Talking about it wouldn't help but at least the comfort of being there for each other made it a bit more bearable.


	6. Raph POV - Looking Forward

_I don't even know when it happened but it did. Donnie was always good at what he did but sometimes he could amaze even me with how well he handled situations. Sure, I should've been pissed off at him for keeping another secret from me but he did the right thing. It was beneficial this time, not harmful._

_Or, I guess, we could've just been lucky._

_Luck or not, I think it was that moment that made me realise that Donnie had done more for us than we knew._

\------

Early mornings at the beginning of the month meant only one thing for Raph. He'd been getting better at it, reporting in to get his shot so he didn't do something he'd regret. Things had changed a lot since enemies old and new had finally been put to bed - so to speak. No more Kraang meant no more mutagen which meant no new mutants. Shredder was gone, the Triceratons had no business on Earth with the Kraang banished.

Life was good.

"Breakfast's almost done," Leo said, passing by Raph and patting his shoulder.

"Be there in a minute. I'll drag Donnie with me."

Leo nodded and started towards the kitchen. Not for the first time, Raph found himself admiring their leader's form. He was a stunning creature and he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in him.

That was another thing entirely. With less to do and their father now a human living the rest of his days on the surface, they all had a decision to make. Time was running out, as Donatello was always quick to remind them. Somehow, he had a feeling his nerdy brother had already made a choice but trying to put it to voice was a whole other matter.

He took it back. Life wasn't going to be good until all of them were safe and didn't have the threat of an invisible knife hanging over Leo and Donnie.

Donatello already had a coffee he was finishing off when Raph entered the lab. He didn't take note of the confusion when he didn't get up to get the syringe like he normally did. Instead, Donnie had a satisfied smile on his face like he did when one of his experiments went well. That was completely unnerving.

Leaning on the desk, Raph shrugged. "Well? I'm ready so why aren't you? Don't tell me you've run out of the stuff."

"I wouldn't be that careless," Donnie said, shaking his head as he got up. Grabbing his mug, he started working his way around the desk to leave the lab. "You don't have to report to me anymore."

Raphael quirked up an eye ridge, putting a finger lightly on Donnie's chest to stop him from going anywhere. "Details, brainiac."

One hand came up to put it gently over Raph's, dislodging the finger without incident. That smile was still on his lips and it made Raph think that something had come undone in his brother's head. "You're completely regulated on your own now. The inhibitors were because you were young and casual dominance isn't desirable in society these days."

Taken aback, Raph scratched nervously at his neck. It somehow prompted Donnie to go on. "I've been weaning you off of the drug for the past year. You haven't had it in your system for at least two months now so it's safe to say that you're completely self-sufficient."

They were all used to Donnie's secretive nature by now. Half of the things he did medically wouldn't get done if he were up front about it. It was almost ludicrous to hear that an Omega had taught an Alpha's body how to behave but he had. When had the dullness in his mind lifted? Thinking on it now, he realised that he'd felt less artificial restraint for months now.

"Come on, we have breakfast to eat."

"Wait, what about Mikey? Is he still on those pills?" Raph asked, curious to see if Mikey could have the same control.

Donnie turned again and shrugged. "He's been off of them for longer than you have. As improbable as it sounds, he's always had better control than you have."

Of course. It wasn't as if either of them were "normal" since the Alpha tendencies were always there. An Omega in heat would still catch their attention and both had some aggression issues which manifested in different ways. Was that also why he'd been admiring Leo so much?

Raph looked up to see Donnie looking at him curiously. "I guess there's just one more thing to worry about, then."

"That's not something to really worry about," Donatello said with a soft laugh. He ran a finger around the rim of his mug before giving Raph a deadpan look when he saw the irritation on his brother's face. "We all know what we want. I've seen the way you look at Leo but I'll bet you haven't seen him looking at you."

Wait, he was being looked at the same way? "Don't play with me, Donnie."

Shaking his head, Donnie started towards the door again. He stopped, looking over his shoulder with a smile that was brighter than it had been in a long while. "Just talk with him, will you? Things have a way of working out."

As Donnie greeted Mikey - with a _kiss_ , he noted - Raph was left to think on his own before finally leaving for breakfast as well. Life, it seemed, wasn't as bad as he'd thought.


End file.
